Digital touch messages are a new addition to the Messages app in iOS 10. They work between iMessage conversation threads and replicate a feature of the same name from the Apple Watch. Digital touch messages let you draw a message and send it. When you receive a Digital touch message, you see a ‘Keep’ option under it. What appears to be happening, as you can see in the image above, is that unsolicited messages are being sent via SMS to iPhone users, warning them that their “iPhone ID is due to expire today. 1) Launch Messages on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iOS 10 or later. 2) Create a new message and then tap the Digital Touch button, it’s the middle icon next to the text entry field. 3) Take the Digital Touch interface full screen by tapping the arrow in the lower right corner. This is an optional step. Send a Digital Touch effect in Messages on iPhone In an iMessage conversation in the Messages app, you can use Digital Touch to send animated sketches, taps, kisses, heartbeats, and more. You can even add a Digital Touch effect to a photo or video. We don it like the pre word texts items and the digital touch show up when the ohone turns sideways and we have to rotate to get back to text. Please make it go away!
As if you needed another incentive to text your best friend, iPhone users now have the ability to add a creative personal touch to their messages using Digital Touch. What's more, it turns out that there are plenty of Digital Touch tricks on iOS 10 to experiment with. So, if you've been wondering exactly what you can do with this messaging technology, I have good news: The answer is, 'a lot.'
Digital Touch became available for the iPhone when iOS 10 was officially released on Sept. 13. (The announcement of the release date had previously been made at Apple's keynote presentation on Sept. 7.) This feature, which Apple Watch users have been able to take advantage of since 2015, lets you add notes to photos and videos, as well as send hand-drawn sketches, animations, single-tap replies, and heartbeats. What more could we ask for in a messaging app?
Once you download iOS 10, you can find the Digital Touch button by going to the Messages app, and clicking the icon that looks like a heart with two fingers. Your first reaction will probably be: OMG, this changes everything! It may take some time for you to get used to the new functions and for the element of surprise to wear off, but after that, the possibilities are endless. Go HAM with my top seven tricks for making the most out of Digital Touch:
1. Make Your Own Comic Strip
Now that you can draw on pictures and send sketches using Digital Touch, channel your inner Picasso and make a comic strip with your friends. You can draw on the same photo multiple times to create the illusion of a moving image or start a drawing from scratch. At the very least, it's a great way to kill some time if you're in line or in the waiting room!
2. Play Tic Tac Toe
Take a break from drawing your next masterpiece and play a game of tic tac toe with a friend. Using Digital Touch, draw the tic tac toe board with one finger and make your first move. Then, wait for your friend to re-draw the tic tac toe board and make the next move. Game on!
3. Develop A Secret Love Language With Your SO
Sometimes words just aren't enough. Up your flirting game with your romantic partner by giving animated kisses and heartbeats a new meaning. For instance, one kiss might mean, 'I'm thinking about you' and two kisses, 'I want you tonight.' Send a heartbeat if you want to say 'I love you,' while a heartbreak could mean you're upset about something and want to talk it out. Getting a message across without actually typing out the words is a great way to spice things up.
4. Save Digital Touch Messages
Don't want to lose all of your hard work? Once you exchange messages with Digital Touch, gently press your finger over the kiss, heartbeat or sketch and click 'Keep' (similar to the audio recordings in Messages). After that, they'll forever be in your texting conversation history.
5. Host A Photo Contest Using Only Fireballs
Whoever's idea it was to add 'fireball' as an option to send in Digital Touch, thank you for adding some ~heat~ to our lives. If you and your friends aren't exactly the drawing type, have a photo contest instead. Like with sketches, you can create fireballs either on a black background or on top of a visual. So go ahead: Make your little sister look like she's breathing fire (she'll never know). Points go to whoever sends the most creatively enhanced photo in record time!
6. Film A Short Documentary
Not only can you add sketches, fireballs and everything in between to photos, but you can also include them in a video message. For instance, draw some curly strokes onto a clip of your brother skateboarding down the street to create the effect of him whooshing by. If you're feeling really ambitious, you and a friend can string a series of clips together, add a story line and practically make a mini movie together. Like I said, at this point, there's pretty much nothing you can't do with Digital Touch.
Images: Lucia Peters/Bustle (4) Giphy (2)
Your music,
wherever you go.
Love music? You can keep more songs than ever on iPod touch, which now comes with up to 256GB of storage.1 Get an Apple Music subscription to stream over 75 million songs and download your favorites. Or load iPod touch with songs you love from the iTunes Store.
Learn more about Apple MusicMore power to play with.
iPod touch gives you an amazing gaming experience, thanks to the A10 Fusion chip. The action is smoother. You see greater detail. And everything feels more realistic.
A10 Fusion chip
The A10 Fusion chip brings up to twice the performance and three times better graphics to the new iPod touch2 — while still delivering great battery life. It powers augmented reality games and apps. And it makes everything you do feel faster and more fluid.
4-inch Retina display
iPod touch gives you a beautiful canvas for your messages, photos, videos, and more. Everything is sharp, vivid, and lifelike. All on a device that’s 6.1 mm thin and 3.1 ounces, so you can take it anywhere.
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is a gaming service that lets you play over 100 groundbreaking new games. All you can play, online or off, without ads or in‑app purchases. It’s like having an entire arcade with you.
Augmented reality.
Fun that goes beyond the screen.
Now you can explore amazing, immersive augmented reality experiences on your iPod touch. You can hold the cosmos in your hand. Virtual monsters can invade your neighborhood park. And you and your friends can have robots battle it out right on your desk.
Learn more about ARiOS 14 is the world’s most advanced mobile operating system.
iOS brings iPod touch to life in incredibly personal and powerful ways. You have access to millions of apps and games from the App Store. It’s easy to be creative and expressive when connecting with friends. And advanced technologies protect your privacy.
See what’s new in iOS 14Messages
Send free messages over Wi-Fi to anyone on an iPod touch, iPhone, iPad, or Mac. And add some personality to them with animated text effects, stickers, and more. You can also share locations and links. Name your group chats. And mute or leave the conversation whenever you like.
Group FaceTime
Now you can have a FaceTime video or audio call with up to 32 of your friends at once.3 The tile of the person speaking gets larger automatically, so you’ll never lose track of the conversation. And you can start the party right from a group thread in Messages.
Screen Time
Apps help us do so many extraordinary things that we can sometimes lose track of how much we use them. Screen Time helps give you a better understanding of the time you and your kids spend using apps, visiting websites, and on your devices overall.
App Store
Apps can transform the way you do anything you’re passionate about, whether that’s creating, learning, playing games, or just getting more done. And the App Store is the best place to discover new apps that let you pursue your passions in ways you never thought possible.
Accessories
It goes with everything.
Whether it’s a great pair of headphones or wireless speakers that can turn any room into a dance party, there’s an accessory that complements iPod touch perfectly.